External storage rack for recreational vehicles

Abstract

External storage for a recreational vehicle includes a storage rack defining a plurality of openings extending through front and rear main faces thereof to allow objects to be secured to the storage rack, a plurality of hinges coupled to a proximal edge of the storage rack allowing the storage rack to be pivoted relative to the recreational vehicle, and a storage catch having a first member coupled to the storage rack and a second member configured to be coupled to the recreational vehicle.

1 . External storage for a recreational vehicle, the external storage comprising:
 a storage rack having front and rear main faces and a perimeter including top, bottom, proximal, and distal edges, the storage rack defining a plurality of openings extending through the front and rear main faces to allow objects to be secured to the storage rack;   a plurality of hinges coupled to the proximal edge of the storage rack allowing the storage rack to be pivoted relative to the recreational vehicle;   a storage catch having a first member coupled to the storage rack and a second member configured to be coupled to the recreational vehicle, the first and second members of the storage catch being configured to releasably engage one another to retain the storage rack in a storage position extending along the upright wall.   
     
     
         2 . The external storage of  claim 1 , wherein the front and rear main faces of the storage rack are generally planar giving the storage rack a flat profile. 
     
     
         3 . The external storage of  claim 1 , wherein the first member of the storage catch is coupled to the perimeter of the storage rack. 
     
     
         4 . The external storage of  claim 3 , wherein the first member of the storage catch comprises a pin extending outwardly from the perimeter of the storage rack and the second member of the storage catch comprises a latch configured to releasably receive the pin therein. 
     
     
         5 . The external storage of  claim 1 , further comprising an extension catch having a first member coupled to the storage rack and a second member configured to be coupled to the recreational vehicle, the first and second members of the extension catch being configured to releasably engage one another to retain the storage rack in an extended position extending outwardly from the upright wall. 
     
     
         6 . The external storage of  claim 5 , wherein the first and second members of the extension catch comprise brackets having one or more apertures extending therethrough, the brackets configured to extend along one another with the storage rack in the extended position to align the one or more openings thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The external storage of  claim 5 , wherein one of the first and second members of the extension catch comprises magnetic elements configured to releasably one another with the storage rack in the extended position. 
     
     
         8 . The external storage of  claim 5 , wherein the second member of the extension catch is configured to be coupled to an access cover of the recreational vehicle. 
     
     
         9 . The external storage of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of openings of the storage rack comprise an e-track array. 
     
     
         10 . The external storage of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of openings of the storage rack comprise a molle grid array. 
     
     
         11 . The external storage of  claim 1 , further comprising a spare tire mount coupled to the storage rack. 
     
     
         12 . The external storage of  claim 1 , wherein the storage rack comprises a first storage rack, the plurality of hinges comprise a first plurality of hinges, and the storage catch comprises a first storage catch; and further comprising:
 a second storage rack having front and rear main faces and a perimeter including top, bottom, proximal, and distal edges, the second storage rack defining a plurality of openings extending through the front and rear main faces to allow objects to be secured to the second storage rack;   a second plurality of hinges coupled to the proximal edge of the second storage rack allowing the body to be pivoted relative to the recreational vehicle;   a second storage catch having a first member coupled to the second storage rack and a second member configured to be coupled to the recreational vehicle, the first and second members of the second storage catch being configured to releasably engage one another to retain the second storage rack in a storage position extending along the upright wall.   
     
     
         13 . The external storage of  claim 12 , wherein the first and second storage racks are configured to be pivotably coupled to the recreational vehicle via the first and second plurality of hinges on opposite sides of the opening in the recreational vehicle in a double door configuration. 
     
     
         14 . The external storage rack of  claim 13 , wherein the first and second storage racks each include a handle extending outwardly from the distal edge thereof, the handle of the first storage rack configured to extend along the second storage rack and the handle of the second storage rack configured to extend along the first storage rack with the first and second storage racks in the storage position. 
     
     
         15 . The external storage rack of  claim 14 , wherein distal ends of the handles are tapered outwardly. 
     
     
         16 . The external storage rack of  claim 13 , further wherein the first and second storage racks each include a lock bracket having an opening extending therethrough, the lock brackets of the first and second storage racks configured to be disposed one over the other with the openings thereof aligned to receive a lock member therethrough with the first and second storage racks in the storage position. 
     
     
         17 . The external storage of  claim 16 , wherein the lock brackets extend from the handles of the first and second storage racks. 
     
     
         18 . A recreational vehicle comprising:
 a body having a plurality of walls including one or more upright walls, the plurality of walls defining an interior; and   the external storage of  claim 1  pivotably mounted to the upright wall.   
     
     
         19 . The recreational vehicle of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 an opening through one of the upright walls of the plurality of walls; and   an access cover movable between a closed position covering the opening and an open position at least partially exposing the opening;   wherein the access cover comprises a window, a door, or a ramp door.   
     
     
         20 . The recreational vehicle of  claim 19 , wherein the storage rack is configured to pivot relative to the opening about a vertical axis. 
     
     
         21 . The recreational vehicle of  claim 19 , wherein the storage rack is configured to pivot relative to the opening about a horizontal axis. 
     
     
         22 . The recreational vehicle of  claim 19 , wherein the upright wall comprises a frame extending around the opening, the external storage pivotably mounted to the frame.